By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has urged the government to step up efforts to investigate enforced disappearances and to adopt international treaties aimed at preventing such abuses, in observance of the International Day for Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
Observed annually on 30 August since 2010, the day commemorates victims of enforced disappearances and highlights the need to uncover the truth, hold perpetrators accountable, and prevent future violations.
Enforced disappearances occur when individuals are secretly abducted, detained, or otherwise deprived of liberty often with state involvement leaving victims outside the protection of the law. Survivors frequently show signs of torture or cruel treatment.
The ZHRC specifically called for renewed investigations into the disappearance of Itayi Dzamara, which is considered a possible forced disappearance, urging authorities to provide answers to his family.
Enforced disappearances violate multiple rights enshrined in both international law and Zimbabwe’s Constitution, including personal liberty, security, human dignity, life, freedom from torture, and the right to a fair trial.
The Commission emphasized the importance of habeas corpus, which ensures detained persons are brought before a court to assess the legality of their detention.
“This day is a reminder to all state institutions to work together to prevent gross human rights violations,” the ZHRC said in a statement.
The Commission also urged Zimbabwe to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances and to sign the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), noting that the country is one of only two African nations yet to do so. Ratification would establish anti-torture mechanisms and strengthen legal protections against abuse.
Through its statement, the ZHRC reaffirmed its constitutional mandate to protect, promote, and enforce human rights, highlighting the need for vigilance against enforced disappearances and for justice for victims.